A great vet; my cherished memories of All Creatures creator Alf Wight – Yorkshire Post Letters

IT was in 1984 that I had the unexpected pleasure of meeting the great vet Alf Wight, on a lovely summer’s day, when the views all around were quite breathtaking.

That day I had cycled on to the Moor from the village of Castle Bolton, that at a height of 1,288 feet descends onto a green moorland way called Apedale. As I approached the metalled road at a point called Hollin Hill, I could see a car off to my right coming up from the direction of Healaugh and Reeth. To my amazement the car, as it drew level with me, stopped and out stepped Alf Wight, who I instantly recognised.

I expressed my appreciation that he stopped the car and asked if he was on a call from his practice in Thirsk. He said he was on holiday with his wife and that he was driving on his favourite road in the Yorkshire Dales.

Two things struck me; that he wanted to spare the time to talk to a passing cyclist and that he took his holidays in the Yorkshire where he was much in demand as a vet.

Like many readers of The Yorkshire Post, I have been impressed with the start of Channel 5’s adaptation of the Herriot books in All Creatures Great and Small.

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Thank you

James Mitchinson